NEW TRIER TOWNSHIP - The longer the new Cook County GOP chairman Aaron Del Mar (top right) delays in re-instating the former New Trier Township GOP Committeeman Bill Cadigan, (bottom right) the less likely it appears that Cadigan will return.
New Trier Township is one of Cook County's most heavily Republican areas, it's the home township of U.S. Senator Mark Kirk and the base of 10th CD Congressman Bob Dold, who's facing a tough challenge in November. Dold's re-election campaign will lean heavily on the New Trier GOP, which is currently without a leader.
When Cadigan was appointed by then-Cook County GOP Chairman Sig Vaznelis to succeed retiring township committeeman Tolbert Chisholm, it was at the urging of a unanimously supportive New Trier GOP membership. Despite Vaznelis overseeing the New Trier meeting the night they expressed their united support for Cadigan, nearly two weeks passed before Vaznelis officially appointed Cadigan, in late October 2011.
New Trier Township GOP endorsed Dan Patlak in the Cook County Board of Review primary over Vaznelis' pick, Sean Morrison. The day before the March 20th GOP primary, Cadigan and several New Trier GOP members were at the group's headquarters when Vaznelis' notice of rescinding Cadigan's appointment arrived. Five weeks later, no substitute for Cadigan has been appointed, and New Trier GOP's 7,000 plus votes for did not affect the Cook County GOP chairman pick last Wednesday night.
After the election, the new county chairman Aaron Del Mar said he would take applications from New Trier Republicans before making an appointment. Cadigan told IR he has already conveyed to Del Mar his desire to be re-appointed. Despite being led otherwise in conversation with Del Mar prior to last week's election, Cadigan has not been notified that he's back in place.
The New Trier GOP is crucial for several reasons, including the potential for raising cash in the district, as well as the importance of Congressman Bob Dold's re-election bid. The longer the wait, the more concerned New Trier Republicans are. Who will be their next chairman? Will he or she be devoted to New Trier or the Cook County GOP? Will Dold and other local candidates have the organizational leadership behind them they need to win in November?
The answers lie in Del Mar's hands.
